LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 February Long Beach Signature Coin #460  / 

2129

1797 1C Reverse of 1797. AU58 PCGS. S-126, B-16,

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:19,500.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1797 1C Reverse of 1797. AU58 PCGS. S-126, B-16,
<B>1797 1C Reverse of 1797. AU58 PCGS. S-126, B-16, R.3.</B></I> <B>Bland AU55; tied for CC-1. Noyes AU55; CC-2. Photo #21313. Our EAC Grade AU50.<BR><BR>Equivalents.</B></I> Proskey 16; Doughty 107; McGirk 11A; Clapp-Newcomb 9; EAC 7; <I>Encyclopedia</B></I> 1711; PCGS #1422.<BR><B><BR>Variety. </B></I>Die chips at right border. E in ONE directly over T in CENT. The obverse appears on S-126. The reverse appears on S-125, S-126, and S-127.<BR><B><BR>Surfaces.</B></I> Impressive light tan and olive, with traces of gray-brown on the highpoints of the devices. A remarkable example with glints of cartwheel luster in the protected areas. Light surface marks are mostly confined to the fields, probably from the original planchet strip. Partly Reeded Edge.<BR><B><BR>Die State V.</B></I> Heavy obverse die cracks with a bulge developing near the crack in the right obverse field. Near-terminal die state for the variety.<BR><B><BR>Appearances.</B></I> The obverse is illustrated in <I>Early American Cents</B></I>. The obverse and reverse are illustrated in <I>Penny</B></I> <I>Whimsy</B></I> and Noyes (1991 and 2007).<BR><B><BR>Census.</B></I> This coin and the C. Douglas Smith coin are tied as AU55 examples, according to Bland and Noyes. Neither example has any point deductions. Doug Smith's piece is listed as the finer example in Noyes' Census, on the strength of its "choice" surfaces, rather than the "average plus" surfaces of the Husak specimen.<BR><BR><B>Commentary.</B></I> A relatively common variety, and popular for its die state progression that ranges from a perfect obverse to a completely bisected one.<BR><BR><B>Provenance.</B></I> <I>Homer K. Downing (1952 ANA, New Netherlands), lot 1766; C. Douglas Smith (1/1957); Dr. William H. Sheldon (4/1972); R.E. Naftzger, Jr. (2/1992); Eric Streiner; Dr. Philip W. Ralls.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Personality.</B></I> <B>Homer K. Downing,</B></I> an employee of Western Electric Company, was born in Brazil, Indiana, on May 15, 1898, and died on May 29, 1951, at the age of 53. His education took place at DePauw University and Rose Polytechnic Institute, both in Indiana. He was introduced to large cent collecting by T. James Clarke in the 1940s, and went on to form an exceptional cabinet of 390 pieces with an emphasis on provenances. With an interest in photography, he established an extensive photo-file of large cents, and many of his photographs were used by Sheldon in <I>Early American Cents</B></I>. Just prior to his death, he identified his Lettered Edge large cents by inking the letters H and D in HUNDRED. New Netherlands sold his collection in the 1952 ANA Sale.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Coins & Currency (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
Sign In to Bookmark Lot